Rain Forest

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Transcript of Rain Forest

Rain Forest CLIMATE OF RAINFORESTS Rainforests are found in the tropics, in the region between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn right above or below the equatorThey cover about 65 of the Earth's surfaceThey are found in 85 countries around the worldHalf of the world's rainforests lie within the borders of Brazil, Indonesia, and Zaire Where are Rainforests Located? 10: Emas National Park and Chapada Dos Veadeiros, Brazil9: Sinharaja Forest, Srilanka8: Montecristo Cloud Forest, El Salvador7: The Monteverade Forest, Costa Rica6: The Mount Kinabalu National Park, Malaysia5: Sapo National Park, Liberia4: Alaska's Rainforests3: The Amazon Rainforest2: Ecuadors Cloud Forests1: Daintree, Australia Top Ten Biggest and Most Popular Rainforests Daintree, Australia Alaska Rainforest Temperature Ranges:Rarely gets higher then 93ºF and rarely goes below 68ºFAverage humidity averages 77-88% Abiotic Factors Precipitation:An average of 50 to 260 inches of rain yearlyThere is a short dry season where in one month, a rainforest will only receive 4 inches in one month50 percent of its precipitation come from the rainforest's evaporationIt rains on average 1/8 inches a day Soil:Very poor in nutrientsThe topsoil is only one to two inches deepFarmers can only use the soil one or two years after a part of the forest is clearcuttedThe abundance of plants there are not products of rich soil but the plants store the nutrients in them so when they die, new plants can use them to grow Animals in the Rainforest Jaguar Location: Mexico, Central America, South AmericaDiet: variety of animals including turtles, tapirs, and deerSize: approximately 5.5-8 ft.Reproduction: Females have about a 100 day pregnancy period and can have 2, 3, or 4 cubsSpecial Adaptations: spotted skin color is a good source of camouflage. Sharp teeth and claws help catch prey. Long tails to help them balance when running, making sharp turns, and climbing. Padded paws for traction with running and climbing. Red-Eyed Tree Frog Location: southern Mexico, Central America, northern South AmericaDiet: Most insects and small frogsHabitat: lowland rainforest areas near ponds, streams and riversSize: Males grow to 2 cm. in length and females grow to 3-4 cm. in lengthReproduction: lay clutches of eggs on the underside of leaves that are standing above a water source. Special Adaptations: has bulging red eyes and beautiful blue streaks and orange toes that can be used to confuse or disinterest predators. Has suction cups on its toes that enable it to climb trees and on leaves. General Info About the Rainforest Tropical wet climateThe high humidity, warm temperatures, and large rainfall are the main reasons why life is so prosperous and numerous in the rainforestCover less than 6% of earth's surfaceProduce 40% of earth's oxygenWide variety of plants and animals1/4 of all medicines come from a rainforest plantTemperature rarely gets above 93 degrees or below 68 degreesVery humid most of the time Orangutan Layers of the Rainforest Upper canopy consists of trees 60 feet and tallerUnderstory consists of trees below 60 feetForest floor is just what is sounds likeEach layer houses its own different types of species Human Impacts Humans have ruined much of the rainforest biomeDeforestation has devastated the rainforestRainforests once covered 14% of the earthAround 50,000 species a year are lost to deforestationDeforestation occurs mainly due to economic reasons such as building homes or factories or anything that could produce moneyFires, logging, farming, road construction, and war also contribute greatly to the loos of the rainforest Something Must be Done... There need to be more regulations on rainforest deforestationWe are destroying so much of rainforests all over the worldWe need to set aside almost all that is left of rainforest as an area which no trees can be cut downThe rainforest is quickly dwindling and if we do not stop it humans, ironically, will reap the consequences, just as the many species already do Interesting Facts 1 1/2 acres of rainforest are lost every secondExtreme biodiverstyWithin around 2.5 acres,there can sometimes be up to 750 types of trees and 1500 types of plants of plantsThere are around 3000 fruits found in the rainforest70% of the 3000 plants that can fight cancer cells are found in the rainforestCurrently home to Indians, most notably the Amazonian Tribe50% of world's plants are located in the rainforestSpecies are almost incalculableIn some cases, a four sq. mi. area can contain 125 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 100 species of reptiles, and 60 species of amphibians Location: islands of Borneo and Sumatra in IndonesiaDiet: tropical fruit, leaves, bark, and insectsHabitat: rainforests and other forests at higher elevations and near lowland swamps. They will sleep in trees as well as move through the trees in search of fruit.Size: Males weigh approximately 100 - 250 lbs and are about 4 - 5 ft. in height. Females will weigh approximately 60 - 110 lbs and are about 3 - 3.5 ft. in height. Reproduction: pregnancy periods last approximately 7.5 to 8.5 months. They will most often give birth to one infant, but like humans, they can have two at times.Special Adaptations: reddish-orange coloration helps them to virtually disappear amongst the vegetation. Dark brown eyes help protect eyes from sunlight. Arm length is 7 feet which allows them to hang on branches and support themselves. Have an opposable big toe and a highly mobile hip. Anaconda Plants Found In the Rainforest Location: mostly located in Amazon River Basin, but also found in other parts of South AmericaDiet: rodents, fish, birds, caiman, turtles, and even larger mammalsHabitat: live near the water and swim in the streams and rivers Size: can reach 37 feet in lengthReproduction: bear live young snakes and have a life expectancy of 15-30 yearsSpecial Adaptations: curved and sharp teeth help trap prey in mouth. Use tongue to locate potential prey. Skin patterns on body help it to hide. The Kapok Tree Found in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, northern South America, and tropical west Africa.The Kapok Tree provides food and shelter for many rainforest animals.It provides food and shelter for insects, amphibians, birds, monkeys, and other Amazon rainforest plants dependent on sunlight for survival. The Kapok Tree rises above the canopy of the rainforest, it can grow up to 13 feet in a single year. It is the giant of the Amazon rainforest, towering up to 200 feet in height and a trunk that can expand to 9 or 10 feet in diameter.The crown of the tree has an open umbrella shape, its wood color varies from pinkish-white to brown. It provides between 500 and 4,000 fruits at one time, each fruit containing up to 200 seeds. Its fiber is eight times lighter than cotton and several times more buoyant than cork, extremely thermal insulating as well as being odorless, non-allergic and non-toxic. Kapok Tree Special Adaptationsit has large roots which help support the plant and anchor the roots deep into the poor soils. Tropical rain forests are also sometimes prone to flooding, so the deep root system is an added benefit. It also has large spines that stick out from the trunk that protect the it from being harmed and from predators. The Orchid Known for their beauty, orchids are the largest family of plants in the world. The species varies greatly in weight and size with some petals getting as long as 30 inches, and flowers growing up to 14 feet long. They come in every color, except black. They grow on rocks, in the soil, underground and on other plants and trees, all while relying on certain insects or birds for pollination.They are extremely adaptable and grow in most climates with the majority being found in Central America, South America and in countries along the Andes Mountains.One of its unique adaptations is the pollination mechanism it uses, which is where part of the flower actually looks like a female insect. What it does is release a scent into the air to smell like the pheromones of a female bee, fly, wasp or whatever species of insect the orchid needs to attract. When the male insect lands on it and "mates" with what really is the flower, the pollen attaches to the insect and stays with it until it reaches the next flower. Coffee Plant The coffee plant can grow as tall as 30 feet, but is considered a bush or shrub. Its features look like grapes, but they are berries containing two coffee beans inside. It takes six to eight years for the plant to be in full production and coffee plants can live up to 100 years old.It has adapted to high altitudes for shade with a wet and dry season. Originated in Ethiopia and Sudan and now more than two-thirds grow in Latin America. Cacao Tree The cacao tree is an evergreen, which grows a pod containing 20 to 60 reddish-brown cocoa beans. When harvested, it takes anywhere from seven to 14 pods to produce one pound of dry cocoa beans, which is turned into chocolate. It’s important for cacao to be harvested sustainably, since chocolate is in very high demand.Grows below altitudes of 1,000 feet in an area that receives about 4 inches of rain per month, originated in the lowland rainforests of Amazon River basins and can now be found in southern Mexico.It has adapted to grow in the rainforest in areas with a humid climate, regular rainfall and good soil. It is an understory tree, growing best with some overhead shade.